Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4: a quick summary

Please note that the camera pictured in this article is a pre-production model that is not 100% cosmetically final (for example, it is missing the 'GH4' stencil on the front plate).

From a hardware point of view, the GH4 looks a lot like the GH3 - and they're similar enough in footprint that the forthcoming model can still use the same external battery grip as the GH3. Some of the fine detail has been changed, with the inclusion of a 1024x768 (2360k dot) OLED viewfinder panel and a shutter that's capable of operating at 1/8000th of a second and rated to last for around 200,000 exposures (twice as long as the GH3's).

Under the familiar skin, a lot else is going on. It's probably fair to say that the bulk of the camera's improvements will be most apparent to video shooters, but there are also some extra features added for the stills photographers that Panasonic says are equally important to them in the GH4. Based on our briefing and an afternoon spent with a pre-production GH4, we've summarized the changes we've seen from both a movie and a stills-shooting perspective.

Video features

The headline feature is that the GH4 can shoot 4K video, capturing either Quad HD (3840 x 2160) at up to 29.97p or 'Cinema 4K' (4096 x 2160) at up to 24p. But 1080 fans aren't left out, either - the GH4 can capture Full HD footage at extremely high bitrates - with the choice of 200, 100 or 50Mbps at a variety of frame rates and in the choice of MOV or MP4 wrapper. That 200Mbps figure is based on using All-I compression (where each frame is treated separately during compression), while the lower option uses the more common IPB system (where the differences between frames are used to describe some frames).

In both Full HD and 4K video, the GH4 can be switched between capture frequencies (rather than previous models, which were pre-set, per-region). The GH4 provides three options: NTSC (offering frame rates of 23.98, 29.97 and 59.94), PAL (25 and 50) and Cinema (24) and requires that the camera be rebooted to switch between settings. It means that a single unit can be used to create content for a wide variety of applications and broadcast markets.

Movie shooting options (MOV or MP4 wrapper)

Frequency mode

Resolution

Frame - rate

Bitrates (Compression)

Audio

59.94Hz

4K (3840 x 2160)

29.97p

100Mbps (IPB)

Linear PCM/AAC*

23.98p

100Mbps (IPB)

Linear PCM

Full HD (1920 x 1080)

59.94p

200Mbps (All-I) 100Mbps (IPB) 50Mbps (IPB)

Linear PCM

29.97p

200Mbps (All-I) 100Mbps (IPB) 50Mbps (IPB)

Linear PCM

23.98p

200Mbps (All-I) 100Mbps (IPB) 50Mbps (IPB)

Linear PCM

50.00Hz

4K (3840 x 2160)

25p

100Mbps (IPB)

Linear PCM

Full HD (1920 x 1080)

50p

200Mbps (All-I) 100Mbps (IPB) 50Mbps (IPB)

Linear PCM

25p

200Mbps (All-I) 100Mbps (IPB) 50Mbps (IPB)

Linear PCM

24.00Hz

Cinema 4K (4096 x 2160)

24p

100Mbps (IPB)

Linear PCM

4K (3840 x 2160)

24p

100Mbps (IPB)

Linear PCM

Full HD (1920 x 1080)

24p

200Mbps (All-I) 100Mbps (IPB) 50Mbps (IPB)

Linear PCM

*MP4 only. The MP4 option also includes several lower bitrate options, in addtion to 720p and 480p resolutions. AVCHD Progressive and AVCHD are also offered, limited by the maximum frame- and bit-rates of the two standards

In addition, the GH4 builds on the GH3's spec for videographers. Not only does it gain zebra and focus peaking, to guide exposure and focus when capturing footage, it also gains much called-for options such as a flatter, 'Cinema-like' gamma setting, Master Pedestal (black-level) adjustment and the ability to specify the scale used for luminance (16-255, 16-235 or 0-255). In addition to this, faster readout from the sensor should mean less rolling shutter.

The GH4's HDMI 1.4a connector allows it to output 4K or 1080 streams. The bit-rate and amount of color information (expressed using the '4:X:X' terminology of chroma subsampling) varies, depending on how the camera is used. By default, the HDMI outputs 8-bit 4:2:2, either for monitoring or for sending to an external recorder, leaving you with the option of using the 8-bit 4:2:0 files from the camera as more convenient proxies during the editing process. Alternatively, if you take the SD card out of the camera, you can use the GH4 as a camera head - which gives you access to a 10-bit 4:2:2 stream.

The camera is designed to use SDHC and SDXC cards with a UHS I bus (rather than the newer, UHS II format used in the Fujifilm X-T1), and Panasonic only promises the camera's full capability when used with cards conforming to the U3 speed class, which guarantees 30MB/s (240Mbps) sustained write speeds.

The optional DMW-YAGH 'Interface Unit' provides a more extensive selection of video industry connectors for using the GH4 as part of a high-end video rig.

An optional 'Interface Unit' (called DMW-YAGH, when sold through consumer channels), provides XLR inputs for audio and an SDI input for externally-generated timecode, along with four HD-SDI connectors for 4:2:2 10-bit output. It also provides a 12V DC power socket.

Stills additions

The base stills specification of the GH4 is very similar to that of the GH3, as it's still based around a 16MP Four Thirds sensor (although it should be noted that Panasonic touts it as being new and promises an extra 1/3EV of dynamic range at base ISO). The more powerful processor has encouraged Panasonic to raise the highest standard ISO setting to 25,600, while the new shutter mechanism sees the flash sync speed jump to 1/250th, up from 1/160th. A combination of those two additions helps double the camera's continuous shooting rate, to 12fps for up to 50 Raw+JPEG images, or 7fps with focus tracking.

Stills shooters will get some benefit from the camera's video upgrades - particularly in that they gain focus peaking, for fast manual focusing.

With the exception of the locking mode dial, the handling of the GH4 is little-changed from that of the GH3.

Probably the biggest change is a feature called DFD (Depth-From-Defocus) autofocus, where the camera uses image blur to judge subject distance. During live view (before a half-press of the shutter button), the camera will occasionally make a tiny adjustment to focus, to check whether subjects in the frame are in front of or behind the current focus point. In addition to this information, the camera judges how far out-of-focus objects in the scene are, based on how blurred they are, assessed using a profile detailing the blur behavior of the lens at its current aperture. Although this combination of data itself doesn't give the GH4 enough information to achieve precise focus, it does give it a clear idea of where it should start using conventional contrast detection AF process to achieve fine focus.

For now the camera will only have profiles for the company's 22 Micro Four Thirds lenses - meaning any DFD speed benefits will only apply to them. However, the company seemed to suggest the blur characteristics of other lenses could be included as built-in profiles in future Micro Four Thirds lenses from other makers.

Panasonic has said it won't be announcing pricing of the GH4 until near its (also unspecified) availability date. Despite the pro-level videography features, the company continues to describe it as a hybrid, consumer-accessible model, so while we wouldn't be surprised to see a price increase over the GH3, we don't expect it to cost vastly more than its predecessor.

Comments

Still something wrong at DPR. But what is it? Most camera's get final reviews before actual release dates, the GH line get final reviews when the NEXT GH in line is presented. What's wrong?

The D800 "and a half" gets 8 pages of "early-impression-like-it-a-lot-and-this-could be-the-gamechanger -NOT- and-is-a-really-boring-camera-update-in-dinosaur country". There is more on the FZ1000 already a month before release! Come on ;).

So here we are on July 10th and nothing. I did go to LL and C-Net to read about the Panny 4 to get decent reviews - bought it just recently and the video is fantastic. It compliments my Oly OM-E1 nicely. Oly for stills, Panny for Vid. Actually the Panny does a bit better at low ISO than the E1. Still, can't pry either from my hands.

What a pity !!While most of competitor site of DPReview have already posted at least a long Preview or a Review, DPReview still don't go further than a single short and poor half page "quick summary" of the GH4 new Panasonic's flagship , three month after annoucement and now after it is released. What a shame !

DPReview only provided the final Review of GH3 7 monthes after announcement and 5 monthes after release !Same for GX7 and generally speaking for every Panasonic product !

What's the reason ? when the full long review of Olympus E-M1 was ready only one month after annoucment and BEFORE release !

Like you, I always wonder why DPReview seems to be very quick with their reviews when there's a new Nikon, Canon or Sony camera, but never when it concerns a new dslm of Lumix, while Panasonic often comes with excellent and very revolutionary products...

Love the "cine grip" option. I believe every semipro and higher DSLR/DSLM camera (that doesn't already have the grip) should have available both a simple photo vertical grip and a cine-friendly interface like the DMW-YAGH for this camera.

I'm currently using a separate Zoom audio recorder and would love to be able to eliminate it. Or add 2 more channels.

Idiosyncratic, but may be simply because doing HD instead of 4K frees up some computing cycles to enable them to do so. I suspect there could have been an internal debate along the lines of "some users will be confused by the availability of such super-high bit rates". Fortunately folks have prevailed who believe in not holding back viable features because they might "confuse" users.

I wonder? "The bit-rate and amount of color information (expressed using the '4:X:X' terminology of chroma subsampling) varies, depending on how the camera is used. By default, the HDMI outputs 8-bit 4:2:2, either for monitoring or for sending to an external recorder, leaving you with the option of using the 8-bit 4:2:0 files from the camera as more convenient proxies during the editing process. Alternatively, if you take the SD card out of the camera, you can use the GH4 as a camera head - which gives you access to a 10-bit 4:2:2 stream.

My question being: do we need the $2000 YAGH to output the 10-bit? If so it puts it above the price of the Panasonic AG-AF102 M43 dedicated Vid camera with inbuilt ND's and a strong suite of pro required features.

It's very early days for consumer 4k, so the GH4 isn't offering very much.

I have an OMD and I'm looking at the GH4 as a portable vid camera body. But I have to say, the 4K hasn't convinced me at all on this one. I hope I'm wrong!

Still no x64 Windows 7/8 drivers for RW2 files for the latest cameras. How do they expect to be taken seriously? Can't they hire one guy for a day to tweak the codec and recompile it for x64 processors?

Yeap old Pany cameras are gems .. I am also keeping my GH1 and not gonna sell it until it die completely and even though I got GX7 am still thinking to get hold of GH4. Other than features, IQ (Dxo result) is promising too!!

I'd wait a bit more for the A77 successor ( to be launched sometime this May ). I wonder what features Sony will have in it, since currently the A77 is quite well loaded already, but why not 4k video...?

For many years Panasonic has been delivering outstanding and well design products, some of them ahead of their competitors, like the FZ50 (which still works fine) or the lx3 to lx7 series. Unfortunately the customer support - at least here in Switzerland - has deteriorated to an extent which does not allow to considering the product anymore. I believe this is an frequently overlooked aspect when judging and evaluating digital cameras

Ok, I finally got to CP+ and could touch GH4 myself.Info and level marks become dimmed after 30sec and totally disappear after another 30sec during video recording.EVF is really incredibly sharp and looks bigger than in GH3, moreover while display is 16:9, EVF is 4:3.Timelapse has special mode on the left dial(visible on photos) and in the end of shooting or in play mode all photos can be converted into video including 4KNow in WiFi you can not only start video recording, but stop it. Though they are still "deciding" about showing remote video during recording.Memory card bay lid is much harder to open.Hard to say about AF, but except more flexible zones it doesn't look noticeably faster. Cant say about following focus accuracy, as they don't allow to use your own memory card.Now you can adjust shadows and highlights for JPG.RAW converter is quite simple and allows to setup all usual settings as for JPG shooting (including new shadows and highlights)

IMO 4K is a headline grabber but mostly a gimmick. I'll be buying the GH4 on day 1 for its faster sensor, sharper OLED and focus peaking. Sounds like it'll be at least 1 stop faster, if not more. The biggest plus will be the 50% faster rolling shutter. Few mention it but it's the lack of global shutter that limits the Canon DSLRs & the GH3 for pro video work, something the test video makers always miss, as they lug their tripods around on holiday. The GH3's current 70 mbps bit rate is already adequate as a B camera for Full HD acquisition for folks like the BBC, but the shutter spoils the show

I'm making 3x1hour TV docs, posting at a decent London facility and the grading and online pros there have been very impressed with the GH3's flex, depth and sharpness, (I've edited around the giveaway wobbly frames ;-). the GH4 will be even better and at an amazing price. BIG shame they didn't move the headphone output. Next steps, built in NDs! (who'll be first to do this electronically??)

You mention some great benefits of the GH3, faster rolling shutter being one of them.

But we also have some dedicated 4K and HD Sony codec cameras that are just now starting to come out. Using XAVC and XAVC S video codecs.

Soon Sony will drop AVCHD for video in their cameras like a bag of potato and replace it with cameras shooting in the XAVC S codec, and the better model shooting in undiluted XAVC. At up to 600 Mbit/sec.

As an HD camera the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4 looks mighty fine and capable, indeed. But as a 4K camera -- not so much. It cannot record 4K in interframe All-I, cannot record 4K in frame rates past 30 fps, and it can only record 4K at a lamentable 100 Mbit/sec recording data rate. Maybe that is all one can expect out of a pedestrian SD card, anyhow.

Use the GH4 for great HD video, just don't expect it to deliver much when you are switching it over to 4K mode.

Also, GH4 has some sort of a "fuzzy logic" AF -- downside is, it only works with Panasonic's own lenses.

Sure, but AF is not important for pros and yes its not really a cinema camera. I'm no expert on codecs etc but i know that it'd be mighty strange for a producer to put a $2k camera body at the front of a movie that's destined to be screened in a theatre. He'd be spending more than the per day on crew, minimum! The most useful thing about 4k on the Gh4 for now will be the option to crop frames heavily. For me though the GH3 has been an inspirational tool and the GH4 should be hard to upgrade from for quite a while.

Could be. But I suspect that the Lumix DMC-GH4 is a temporary measure until Panasonic gets with the program and comes out with a true 4K-enabled GH body. Could be called "DMC-GH5" for all we know, right? I don't see how it is not going to happen within the next 12 to 18 months.

I am so incredibly impressed, and absolutely apprehensive at the rate technology is changing. From the point of a human- it's a fun time to be alive, with such innovation and new devices coming out every so many months, what took decades is now taking a year, what took a year is achieved in mere days.

But as a consumer - it's a different story. It is so hard to stay on top. It's hard to have the very best equipment because:A. It's constantly changing and you have to buy the new thing every few monthsB. Your investment in any gear(except glass)is gone, it's just GONE!

Look at the Sony F35, it is also called the Genesis... it was the first real global shutter 1080P movie camera and it was worth 135,000 dollars just three years ago and it is worth 12,000 dollars today. Thats absolutely ridiculous. I purchased a Sony F55 to get into 4k with a global shutter and thought I did good buy purchasing the gear used, so instead of a 45,000 dollar investment it was only a 28,000 dollar one.

But I am afraid that the gear will be worthless in no time.Why should you care about that as a consumer that buys DSLR's? I didn't understand what the RED camera owners were talking about until I got the Sony F55 and I see now what upsets them so much..they are the ones making the feature films, they are the ones who do the commercials, the internet videos, news, etc etc... and when they keep seeing their investments cut down to 10% over and over again - and not in 5 years but less then a year, they will eventually stop - many of the really great ones already have... some have gone back to the way it worked with film (renting not buying) because it's not dropping in price. What does that mean? It means that the big dollar spenders who finance the changes in technology are going to get out of the game, letting rental houses take all the risk meaning:

1. this means that democratizations of movie industry will fail2. this means tech will eventually be out of reach again.

Wow. People with multiple axes to grind. The spite is so thick it makes it impossible to see that the GH4 is a great camera with great codecs and lots to recommend it at a bargain price. As to the design of the XLR add on machine---for the 1,000 who will actually buy it and use it in a cage with attached rails, follow focus, etc. the value is in what it does not how it looks. To people who actually work in the video production field it will be a sought after accessory. To all the tire kickers and people who shoot test videos it will be "too expensive and too ugly." To appreciate the value you have to know what side of the fence you are really on.

The value to me, right now, will be the improvement in 1080p and in stills. The value also extends to things like zebras, focus peaking, faster top shutter speeds, faster sync speeds and improvements is focus tracking and focus lock on. No, it's not the holy grail. But no, it's not $28,000 like a Cine Alta F55. Codec? Let's wait and see.

How do you know that the Lumix DMC-GH4 is a "great camera with great codecs? Have you been using it for a while? Links to the videos shot with it, please?

As to the Panasonic GH4 having a "bargain price" - well, I guess you have more disposable income to spend on cameras and stuff than the rest of us. Anyhow, last week it was the Blackmagic Cinema Camera 4K edition that was universally said to have been a "bargain." This week, it is the Panasonic's turn. Next week -- someone else, surely.

GH4 is totally off-beat for the recording bitrates -- it can record HD video at 2x the data bitrate that it can record 4K video in, so how much sense that makes?

No way to tell right now whether 200 Mbit/sec HD video is a necessity or a waste of good flash media space.

@Francis CarverBTW The XAVC codec still uses H.264 codec..(its a container in other words) only the H.264 is at a higher levelSo does the GH4 use H.264 codec as well, same as the XAVC , XAVC is not revolutionary, its using the standard H.264 codec...same as everybody else, just squeezing more out of it, despite the tech jargon.And there are plenty of issues with XAVC as well, judging by the forums...So try to cool the snobbery a little mate, it only makes you look like an elitist who looks down on anything that doesn't meet his ever so high standards.But if you are going to do that, at least do your homework before you rant, cause your facts and figures simply dont add up.

What are you bubbling about, I wonder? So, Sony's XAVC codec is also an H.264 subset -- so what? Had you informed your local authorities about that already, or what?

You getting your information on codecs from the forums, do you? Considering that Sony is not even selling any video cameras yet as of today that will use the XAVC codec, I am rather surprised to learn the the Panasonic forums are bitching about the Sony XAVC codec already.

I guess since Sony's XAVC can only record 2160p60 4K video at 600Mbit/second, it follows that the Pansonic GH4 4K codec at 100Mbit/sec must be like totally superior in all aspects to Sony's XAVC. Oh well, whatever.

@Francis CarverHonestly mate...your posts come across as you basically want to hate on the GH4 with little information to back yourself up.The GH4 is not a GH3 with 4K...if you read ANY of the specs,or ANY of the reviews from you would know that fact very clearly...the GH3 similarity ends with the housing.The processor alone can generate twice the bitrate and is much more powerful than the GH3.You do also know that IPB is much more efficient than I frame...so your point about 100mbs IPB being available in the 4K mode and not all I not making sense is wrong, it makes perfect sense.You run an efficient codec & lower bitrate for larger frames,that makes sense, people like Nick Driftwood and many others that know a lot more about codecs than you obviously do that have given it a big thumbs up.Bryan Harvey who shot the 4K vid with it, said the detail in aerial shots was astounding on a 4K screen and that's in 8 bit 4.0.0, you really need to get your facts straight before you rant.

Wow, I had no idea GH4 is such as dog that it records 4K video with a 4:0:0 subsampled chroma space. I was hoping it can at least do 10-bit 4:2:2, or at the very least absolute minimum, attain 8-bit 4:2:0. Apparently not -- only 4:0:0, like you were good enough to point it out for us.

For now, there are lot of barkers trying to climb up the 4K tree, but for processor and codec, only Sony had succeeded with the XAVC and XAVC S codecs. Those were in fact designed with 4K resolution recordings in mind. With the Panasonic GH4, the camera can only do 4K video in IPB predictive Long GOP recordings. Not in All-I interframe. A lot of folks (like me) will hate that severe shortcoming. This is nothing but AVCHD in 4K. And talking about that -- GH4 is recording in AVCHD and AVCHD "Progressive" as well. It is also recording in 480p. Just what everyone must have been demanding from Pana in 2014, huh? What are these folks smoking?

Camera's video interface -- Micro HDMI. Same as with a smart phone or tablet, in other words.

On the positive side of things, GH4 can record regular HD video at 96 fps for those who are into slow-mo. Also, Panasonic just might smoke the assorted Australian Blackmagic Cinema contraptions right out of the water with their GH4.

GH4 is a GH3 with 4K video tossed in, but of course who even knows what type of a codec this is, certainly not XAVC or XAVC S, as with Sony. Probably the Pana house band. 100Mbit/sec maximum sounds way too low for quality 4096 x 2160 video recordings. In fact, this camera can record HD video at a higher bitrate than it can record 4K video. How much sense does that make?The killer with this sprced up GH3 is the codec. The wretched thing uses the nogoodnik Pana codecs of dubious wide acceptance, GH4 records in a lower bitrate in 4K than it can record in HD -- how much sense does THAT make to you?

The GH4's 4K codec of only 100 Mbit is IPB Long GOP only, not intraframe All-I, so that really and truly kills it for folks who thought this was going to be a "cinema camera."

Gotta give it to Pana: they are-a trying. Trying, just not delivering. Does this latest emperor wear any clothes?

GH4 body looks way too weird with that huge canker sore of an audio-video interface brick affixed to its bottom. The contraption with the interfaces clearly looks like it was designed in East Germany in 1958 or something. The thing is so butt-ugly, I would drop the camera rig every time from the sheer frightfulness of it. An ergonomic and design calamity of the highest order, surely.

The GH4 does not maintain the bit-rate to resolution ratio quality at 4k resolutions that it does at 1080p resolutions. That is a disappointment and means it is not going to be until the GH5 that we get full quality 4k. SD cards can't handle the bit-rate needed for 4k full quality right now and without HEVC the data size is quite large. If the GH5 uses HEVC-IPB and HEVC-ALL-I then that might help. UHS-3 and UHS-6 SD cards should also help.

Exactly. You need to get some decent media if you want to shoot in 4K. We have CFast 2.0 and XQD flash memory cards that can handle higher-end video codecs. In the case of the XQD cards, data rates of up to 180 MB per second.

Don't forget about the Black magic production cinema 4k camera. that does 4k RAW on a 35mm sensor for just $3000. although that price doesn't include lenses or ssd drives. Although if they put in the faster UHS-2 memory card interface then I don't see why this couldn't of had 230mbps 10bit 4k inbuilt, with 1080p raw offered, (that would have sold well). Actually people have managed using ML to get the 5dmk 3 to do 1080p raw. so this really should have that option. well there is also the bmpcc which does 1080p raw

I guess everyone has a different budget. For me, I wouldn't consider $1500-$2000 for the body the price for the rest of us, especially now that the new LG phablet also does 4K. I know they are not in the same league (or even the same planet), but still.

I sometimes wonder what has happened to photographers' eyes. Look at the demonstration videos of 4k you see, designed to show the highlights of the medium, and they render people's skin as robot like and plastic. They are great for plastic, glass, reflections, and metal. We have got to a point where we accept digital artefacts unquestioningly, including the rather inhuman quality they impart to humans.

We always recognised film stocks had a quality. We now kid ourselves it's about "reality" rather than the intrinsic qualities of the medium. Electronic is not necessarily better than dye and light.

Years ago, I filmed a love story for television and faced immense pressure not to shoot it on film but video. I fought back and chose film. It makes skin look like something you would want to touch. Which helps love stories.

It's too late now. That ship has sailed. But it is saddening to me that all we can do is throw about big numbers and not actually LOOK at the mess they give us.

I am using hi-def airbrush style make up for TV production these days. Still doesn't make skin look as appetising as film. I still feel the re-education of our eyes to think digital "qualities" are better is not necessarily a boon.

I agree in principle, but I'm wondering what video you have seen from this camera that has that problem. Infact, when I import photography shot at higher resolutions into a premiere or a FCP programme, tones generally look better than at 1080P. I'm just wondering whether this might be the case here. Film is lovely and just so incredibly unweildy and unafordable. I don't think we should knock them for trying to work out a digital solution.

When something is too sharp and clean, it may lose its soul. Its like music recording. Despite all the clarity of digital recording, many listeners still prefer the old vinyl record where one can enjoy the warmer sound. The same maybe true with food. "Slow food" prepared with love and passion is anytime better than fast food.

So do you reject digital photography and use film for your still photos? I might ask why you're on a site called "Digital Photography Preview"?

If you do shoot digital stills, do all your people look like they're plastic robots? Kodak is no more because the goal of Nikon, Canon and the rest was to produce images that were as good or better than Kodak film. They succeeded.

But I take issue with your blanket statement about "the mess they give us" in video.

DSLR video is not a "mess." It's amazing. It's a nascent technology that began with the Canon 5DMKII in Sep 2008. It'll get better. Movie film's been around since the late 1800's.

My Nikon D800's video look is a far cry from any camcorder I've ever used -- consumer or pro.

We're only at, what, 3rd gen DSLR vid now? And it's vastly improving with each step. And it is beautiful.

And your suggested medium -- 35mm motion picture film -- is just silly. 11 min (1000') of film costs $625...before processing and transfer.

Film is dead. Long live film for those fanatics who can make a go of it, economically. You can have it.

Cameras like the GH4 will enable the rest of us to do a credible job of commercial video production for hybrid photography, training, advertising, promotions, "film" class projects, and even short "film" productions.

Trust me, your knowledge areas of lighting, lens selection and usage, audio production, and storytelling are far more important than whether you are using film or digital technology.

the digital bolex has a beautiful film look,i really like the video it puts out,alot like the look of 16mm film.no other camera has that creamy colr and softness of that video look,i only have high regard for them at dbolex,cant wait to see the films with that cam.hope the 2nd dbolex is even better.

AVC-ULTRA for 4K In February 2012, Panasonic revealed AVC-ULTRA for 4K at HPA (Hollywood Post Alliance) Tech Retreat and exhibited the 4K image (4096 x 2160 resolution, 4:4:4 sampling, 24pfs) compressed to about 400Mbps from the source image of 7.6Gbps.So, 4:2:2 24fps at 200mbps sounds just about right for GH4 .And on 4k mode GH4 crops the sensor to 2.3x .

Unfortunately it doesn't have the bit-rate to record 4k at high quality. That would require 800 mbps. 200 mbps is needed for AVC-I 1080p60fps. So, if you quadruple the resolution that is going to quadruple the required bit-rate to 800 mbps. Acquisition needs to be at a higher bit-trate than distribution. I'd be curious to know what bit-rate ProRes 422HQ or HEVC-I would require for 4k60p.

It does finally have the bit-rate to record 1080p60fps thanks to AVC Intra-200! I wonder what are the trade off's of using AVC Intra-200 vs. just going with ProRes 422HQ at that point.

There is an alternative to the super high bit-rate AVC-I which is 200mbps IPB for 4k or maybe 400 mbps IPB for 4k, which would actually look good and you wouldn't need the super high bit-rate. But it can't do this ! A high bit-rate IPB of 50mbps or 100mbps per 1080p works well. The GH3 uses 50 mbps 1080p in IPB mode, so naturally it would make sense that the 4k model would have 200mbps IPB for 4k, but it doesn't. The GH4 actually allows 100 mbps IPB for 1080p60fps, which is really nice. That may be the nicest shooting mode on the camera or 200 mbps ALL-I for 1080p60fps. I think ALL-I requires about or at least double the bit-rate of IPB.

Τhe only problem I see till now in every cam design is that the digital era needs new designs...Especially because still and video are getting closer.It's almost ridiculous still to have a back and lens perpendicularly on it...There is no need for that any more...There is no film reel...We need a design to function with available technology...We don't need to batch technology in older forms...Can't they understand that current cams layouts undermine their products?

The old designs and their modern variations work just fine with current technology. Film reel or not, from a handling/ergonomics perspective the basic design just works for most people. It doesn't undermine the cameras.So why fix something that isn't broken? What kind of practical user problem do you think needs to be fixed in today's cameras, and what is your proposed solution?

Let's say that cameras design have to be more riffle like. Designs that Olympus and Sony have approached (Oly from late 90's -pre digital era and Sony in 500-600 series). The back in cams was designed just for the film reel, no need for that anymore. Cams must look more like video cams, than a plate with a tube stuck on it, it's useless and non functional design even in its best. When u see a photographer to handle a camera u 'll see that his motions are quite unnatural, no matter that practically all of us cannot see or understand it.The only bad thing in a more riffle design implementation is the psychological fear that it will produce in a lot of situations... lol

Biggest thing missing is built in NDs. ND filters is pretty much essential for video production and all pro videocameras have them built in. Also with the add-on "brick" you need external power to use it.

I'd like to see Panasonics take on the C100/C300. In other words a GH4 with built in NDs and proper audio inputs.

I agree. It would be great if Panasonic comes up with a new AG-AF101 style camcorder but with GH4 features. If you combine GH4 and AF101 together ,then you get : ND filters, XLR-s, SDI-HD, twin SDHC slots, 4k, 200mbps, 60P , zebra, safety zone, focus peak, wi-fi, better grip, ............... and so on. I would call this camera AG-G4k .then this hybrid camera can take over C500 Sony F55 or even some ugly expensive Red ones.

This is an Alexa and Red killer. For $1999 >Even if you don`t need 4k at the moment ,you get 200mbps ,1080p 60P, SDI 10bit 4:2:2, zebra, focus peaking and the option to have a proper XLR and DC power plug with DMW-YAGH interface unit. GH1 was great, GH2 still is a king .GH3 still rocks and I am sure GH4 will be an amazing camera. Canon 1DC can shoot 4k for $ 12.000) or Canon C500 for $20.000 . I own a GH2 , for me it will be great as I can use all my M4/3 lenses with GH4 .

i agree the gh2 is still exceptional.im still working with my 2 gh2 cameras.i also subscribe to the story content is king also.i write my own scripts and with a great story i can film it on a vhs camera and i dont think a audiance would know the difference if i used gh4 or vhs cam.i think film makers should learn to write good scripts and turn into good film makers than youtube test video artists.

That would depend on the situation.The gh4 with the more advanced codecs will give producers more headroom in post. The 5d has an advantage in depth of field. However there some very fast cine lenses available for the gh4 to counter that advantage to some extent.

So in video it looks like a better package out of the box. Being able to use the viewfinder in video is also great.

However in stills it will be different. The canon has a full frame sensor which will yield more detailed shots with most lenses.Tracking AF for sports is in a whole different league as well. So it's more are less what you want to do with it.

It will be another year before 4K is comfortable to use in even professional editing environments. The real killer feature on this camera is 1080 60P at 200 mbps. That's got to look fabulous on the screen, and will transcode beautifully to any format you want. If your shot is precisely focused and correctly exposed, you'll think you're looking at 4K.

Yes 4K does present some issues in post. The massive heat from the processing speeds and volume generated on the processor chips on both the motherboard and graphics card might make it impossible/impractical to do post on laptops. Additionally 4K also begs for post to be done on large screen high-res monitors. Are we in for a niche rebirth of the desktop?

yes true, i agree D90 was the first HDSLR but 5D MkII is the one widely use by production, i'm still new in the industries, i actually heard of legendary hacked GH2 and the GH3 but never get a chance to try them, start with canon DSLR when i look at GH3 sample, i'm amaze. anyway in malaysia i can say 70% HDSLR video shooter use canon for video some start to use BMCC and i guess no one use lumix yet, ok maybe if any lumix shooter i bet i can easily remember all of them :P

Hi, I've been a happy Sony EX3 owner for some time, i used it mainly for documentary shooting and it has served me well, but lately it has been showing some limitations: I only have the camera lens, because i never bothered to buy an adaptor, the bitrates are low, it is a middle size camera, so it's not so big, but it's not so portable has this gh4, and of course, it is getting old. Do you guys think i should sell my ex3 now for a low price and go for the gh4? I know it sounds like an absurd question, but here it goes

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